Back-to-back hurricanes contributed to the staggering total of almost 347,000 flood-damaged vehicles on the East Coast of the U.S. Hurricanes Milton and Helene damaged scores of vehicles with flood waters and other problems. Add those to the thousands of other water-damaged vehicles from other smaller storms this summer, it doesn’t take much to see how this can become a massive problem. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding exports to key regions like Europe and Latin America after long focusing on their home market. But that’s created problems as target markets fight back with new tariffs and other trade restrictions. As a result, some Chinese manufacturers are looking to shift production abroad – and that could include factories in the U.S.
Helmet laws often create discord among motorcyclists, the medical community and other safety experts. The latest study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety isn’t likely to quell any of the disagreements. The report shows more than 22,000 riders would’ve have survived fatal crashes during the last four decades. Find out more at Headlight.News.
A strike by longshoreman called in dispute over wages and use of automation threatens to choke off shipments to ports on the East and Gulf coasts, threatening to delay deliveries of everything from groceries to autos and auto parts.
The Biden administration pushed forward with plans to make it difficult to import vehicles from China. The Department of Commerce proposed a rule that would ban vehicles equipped with Chinese-made connected vehicle technologies. Get details at Headlight.News.
It’s now up to California Gov. Gavin Newsom to decide whether to sign a new bill that would require automakers to install a “passive intelligent speed assistance system” into all new vehicles sold in the state starting no later than 2030. Lawmakers sent the governor the measure as part of a crackdown on speeding – which is reportedly involved in a third of the state’s fatal crashes. The measure mandates the use of a warning device but some safety advocates want to go further, installing speed limiters.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported U.S. traffic deaths declined 3.2% during the first six months of this year. Fatalities have declined for nine straight quarters. Read the story at Headlight.News.
As the growth of EV sales has slowed in recent months, automakers have begun looking at electrified alternatives, many betting that plug-in hybrids will become a “bridge” technology for motorists not quite ready to commit to an EV. But if you think battery-electric vehicles are expensive you may be shocked by what the typical PHEV costs – an average of more than $60,000. Then again, there are a few surprisingly affordable one.
If you had a faulty transmission on a General Motors vehicles built between the 2015 and 2019 model-years you could be covered by a new lawsuit certified by a federal court. The class-action could result in payouts to hundreds of thousands of owners across the U.S., as Headlight.News reports.
EV maker Fisker secured a deal with creditors to liquidate its assets while providing ongoing assistance to the owners of the vehicles it has already produced. Find out more at Headlight.News.
It’s been the subject of speculation for weeks, “knowledgeable sources” chattering amongst themselves about the possibility China’s BYD is in talks with Stellantis as it looks for a way to crack into the U.S. market. The two makers have firmly dismissed the rumors. But there seems little doubt Chinese automakers want to target the world’s second-largest automotive market and are sniffing around the North American auto industry looking for a way to break in.
The $7,500 federal tax credit for buyers of battery-electric vehicles could be dropped if Donald Trump returns to the White House next January, the presidential candidate said in an interview. At the same time, Trump said he’s open to finding a role for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, possibly even making him a member of his cabinet.